Author Interview with Raynetta Stocks: The Grim

Today as a treat we have Raynetta Stocks, a friend, and author of The Grim.

How you doing today Raynetta?

Doing great Ahmad, thanks for having me here.

My pleasure of course. Been looking forward to sharing you with my readers for awhile now.

Tell us about your latest novel in 20 words or less:

Jaycee must recall a murder she doesn’t remember committing to be released from incarceration at a psychiatric hospital.  Wait, is that 20 words…?

No worries, we’re moderately flexible here.

What has been the most exciting part of being a published author?

The best part of authorship is seeing your work in print.  When the first copies of my book arrived on my doorstep, and I held my masterpiece in my hands, it was that surreal, “silver lining” moment when the heavens part and a golden beam of sunlight hits your face.  Suddenly, everything I went through to get here was worth it.  And I’d do it all again.

How poetic.

And we all hope you will do it again as well.

What do you do to prepare for a writing session?

For me, I need peace and quiet in a cool, well-aerated place.  I need serenity, so that I can watch the movie playing out in my head.  Then I take what I see in that movie and put it to words.

Great description for our readers.

Does writing get easier with each project?

Yes, the writing does get easier, because with each project, I learn a bit more about my craft and my own writing style.  I get giddy with each work; I don’t waste time writing stories I’m not passionate about.  So that excitement is a catalyst to finish the book and have the reader share in what had me so excited in the first place.

You have some interesting posts on your blog. Tell us how you come up with your ideas.

Blogging is hard.  You’re like a magazine: your subscribers are looking for consistency, but it’s difficult coming up with topics so I concentrated my efforts.  What do I like, and how can I translate that to readership?

I created three features: Soapbox Spotlight, Book to Movie Classics, and Author Tips.  Soapbox Spotlight airs every Wednesday and features fellow indie authors looking for exposure and an audience for their work.  I’ve met a lot of really interesting people and been introduced to awesome books, some of which I’ve reviewed.  Book to Movie Classics is a last Friday of the month feature where I compare a movie to its novel inspiration and rate each on different points.  Author Tips is a post I do, usually around the first Monday of the month to talk about things I’ve learned in authorship.  I have an occasional piece called “When Inspired” that I write whenever something moves me.  Of course, I try to keep up with National Poetry Month, National Reading Month, and Black History Month every year as well.

What books have influenced your writing?

There are really too many to count.  I read a bit of everything; there’s no genre unrepresented on my bookshelf.  My favorite books, however, are The Color Purple by Alice Walker, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander and The Young Landlords by Walter Mosley.

Are you currently working on any other projects?

Actually, I’m in the process of writing Books One and Two of my new young adult series, The Lova Chronicles.  It’s about a set of fraternal twins who find they are endowed with the power of the gods and are expected to use them to defeat an evil overlord and prevent a miniature Armageddon.  The series is tentatively outlined, and I don’t have titles on the first two books yet, but One and Two should hit the market circa May or June of 2013.

We’re excited!

What is the last thing you read?  Did you like it, hate it?

The last thing I read was Memoirs Aren’t Fairytales and Scars of a Memoir by Marni Mann.  Both were fantastic!  They are gritty and passionate, even with all the dark elements that make you want to hide your face from the horror of it all.  She is a brilliant writer.

I’ve heard great things about her. I will have to check her works out.

What was the last movie you watched?  Did you like it, hate it?

The last movie I watched was Think Like a Man, based on Steve Harvey’s book Act Like a Woman, Think Like a Man.  It is my October Book to Movie Classics piece so check it out on my blog on October 26^th!

Where can readers find your works and follow you (links)?

Everything about me and my books can be found at http://www.raynettastocks.com.  Links to my books, blog, and social media accounts are located on my navigation bar.

Thanks for having me, Ahmad!

Loved it. Hope you will come back soon and catch us up.